Over 1,000 male and female illegal African residents have turned the area under Al-Khair Bridge adjacent to Petromin District in south Jeddah into a chaotic market and are selling goods of unknown origin. Women beggars, ostensibly selling small inexpensive items, are seen working at the traffic signals in the area and roaming the alleys in search of their daily bread. Residents and shopkeepers in the neighboring areas complain that they are being harmed by the large number of illegal expatriates who have made their home under Al-Khair Bridge and have set up a market in the middle of the street. Local residents demand that the authorities carrying out security raids to arrest these overstayers who they feel pose a threat to society by spreading disease and crime. Many of those living under the bridge are asking for nothing more than to be deported, free of charge, to their countries. Muhammad Adam, a member of a Nigerian group of expatriates living under the bridge, said he and his fellow countrymen are at a loss and helpless, as they came from their country either to perform Haj or Umrah, but for one reason or another, could not find the means to return home. He stressed the keenness of those living under the bridge to depart for their countries as soon as possible and in any way they can. “Our consulates show no interest in our plight, problems and current status. All they do is attest our identification papers, if any,” he said. Further complicating the issue is the fact that many of the infants and small children in the group of illegal residents were born during their parents' stay under the bridge or in nearby districts. Many of these children are suffering from disease in the absence of health services and the necessary vaccinations. Maj. Abdulrahman Al-Husseini, spokesman of Jeddah Passports Department, confirmed that groups of overstayers of certain nationalities have made a habit of gathering in specific locations waiting to be deported. He said that the Passports Department will carry out deportation campaigns and that all of those who are deported will be fingerprinted to determine if they are criminals and to prevent their reentry into the Kingdom at a later date.
